Hawley Shows Its Support With A Walk For Abbi

By Laurie Borst

Taylor Field behind Hawley School was the place to be May 31. Students, teachers, and staff turned out to “Walk For Abbi.”

Abbi Winters is a third grader at Hawley who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma last September. School nurse, Peggy Annett, organized the walkathon.

Everyone at Hawley got involved. Parents and Girl Scout troops made name tags. The art teacher, Vicki Sheskin, made the “Walk” “For” “Abbi” signs displayed on the field. All the walkers collected pledges. Every week that Abbi has been away from school, a different class has sent cards, posters, etc to let her know that she is in their thoughts.

Abbi and her mother, Patti, were on hand for the day’s activities. She flashed a big smile to all her visitors. When asked her thoughts on the walkathon, Abbi replied, “It’s really nice.”

Also on hand was Andrew Cruz. Thirteen years ago, when he attended Hawley, he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenic leukemia. The school held a walkathon for Andrew. Happily, Andrew’s cancer has been in remission since he was treated.

Patti expressed gratitude to Abbi’s teacher, Judy Qualey, who is a cancer survivor herself. Patti credits Judy with helping Abbi understand what was happening and giving her hope.

Neuroblastoma is a malignant form of cancer that arises in the adrenal glands, neck, chest, or spinal cord. In Abbi’s case, it began on her right adrenal gland. Abbi was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma, which means the disease had metastasized and moved into her bones and bone marrow.

Abbi has undergone eight rounds of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is designed to target fast-growing cells like cancer with the side effect that other fast-growing cells, like hair and tastebuds, also are affected. She had surgery to remove the tumor from her adrenal gland. Before treatment began, she underwent several rounds of apheresis, a process of harvesting her stem cells. Abbi has received two stem cell transplants. Currently, Abbi is receiving localized radiation treatment, which will be finished in two weeks.

A MIBG scan had shown the cancer cells had been eliminated from her bones and bone marrow. This is good news because it shows the cancer is responding to the treatments.

As these treatments continue, the bills mount. A fund has been established at Newtown Savings Bank for Abbi. Those wishing to contribute can send donations to The Abbi Winters Fund, c/o Katie Wheelin, Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470.